Vending machine



June 23, 1953` o. v. WELLS Erm. 2,643,169

VENDING MACHINE Filed |April 5, 1946 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y 3 .5o-W4 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 Q a I June 23, 1953v A o, v, WELLS TAL 2,643,169

VENDING MACHINE Filed April 5, 1946 e sheets-sheet 4 4 TTU/ENE YS June 23,*1953 Y o. v. WELLS ETAL 2,643,169 VENDING MACHINE A Filed April 5, 194e A 9 sheets-sheet e ATTORNEYS June 23, 1953 o. v. WELLS ETAL 2,643,169 f VENDING MACHINE Filed April 5. 194e 9 sheets-sheet 7 ATrofQA/EYS June 23, 1953 o. v. wELLs ETAL 2,343,169

Vmmmc MACHINE Fil'ed April 5, 1946 Y 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 /N VENT OAS of' @A 1f. WEL L 5 Ro B5 Ffa. .307?57 BY 617557257? c. 5MP? ATTORNEYS June 23, 1953* o. v. wl-:LLs ETAL VENDING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed April 5, 1946 ,4 TTOENEKS Patented June 23, 195,3

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relatesltovendingfrnaclimes and has for its primary object` to* provide' aimaf chine for holding eatables; both ,hotl or cold, for maintaining sa'il`V eatables-V thel same condi# tion as when placed inthe m'ac l'iine`-*unti1V dispensed or ven'ded,v and to vend selectivepors` tions of said eatables quickly and e'vicientlyi Another objectof thisinvention is to provide a vending machine incorporating al food c'ornpartrnent sealed tojcon'serv the: temperature off 10 food therein and also treatedtobe vermin-proof.

Another object of :the invention-is* to providev improved'and novelmeansfonstoring a variety of packages orV quantities of food" in a' Vending' machine whereby ready selection" among said" 1" packages may be easily made fondispensingfof said selectionkfrom 'the machine."

Another object ofV the invention is' to provide"A a vending machinein'corporating novel'ande fective vending means of aA selected packagei'oi 9 food from among a v'ari'etyofV packages.

Another object of the inventionl is to provide novel tray means ,forholding' and thereby Vstoring packages of different foods'` vvherebyvending of said packages. selectively," isfV facilitated;

A further object'of the `invention'is'toprovide a vending-machinev embodying novelstructural features to provide"aneffectiveand in'e'xpensivef structure for preserving' the 'condition of rfo'odf therein, giving ready'accessto'the interior'there-i 30 of for servicing'andrepairs, and providing' for' Visibility of foods"storedthe'rein." K l,

A further object vof the inventioiis"tooprovide in a vending-machine; effective'mean's'forconi" trolling the selection" ofI food` Yfor dispensing. 35-

Whereby onev of a largefvarietyof"diffrentfoods may be readily selected anddispensedin "a"quick and sure manner. p K l The invention furtherincludes the 'details,` ar,

rangement and combination which is illustrated 4U' in the accompanying drawiiigsfvvhich', by Way'of example or illustration only', showavnding ma"' chine embodying the principles VAor A`the^present invention. Otherobjectsg" featuresand"advahi tages will appear 'from theffolloiviigdeseription' 45Y` ci that embodiment oflth'finvention Whichis'l illustrated.

In the drawings: r Y l y Figure 1 is a front'elv'ational View etai/'ending machine accordingV tothe-invention; 50

of the upper `portion-*o'fjithe machine."'

( C1. S12-194') l viewsT asf tin substantially on tileI unes 4 4; 5*-5 andG-j-G of Figure 3.-

Figure 'lf is a" vertical sectional view of the lower portion of the machine, said View togetherv package and from' Which'said package is readily" extracted. l

Figure 1 1 is ai broken detailed plan'sectional vievv of a'dispensingdrum used in the invention. Figure 12 is a'broken; partiallyelevational and partially sectional View' rof a Waste receptacle used inthe invention.V

Figure 13 isa similar'vew' of a bag or sackv holding unit.

Figures 14 to 19-inclusive, are further en larged fragmentary:detail'vews showing struc-4V tural features of the machine.

Figure 20 is a'v'ertical sectional view of means electrically controlling the' vending operation" according to the selectionof a' customer.

Figure 21 isa plan sectional View thereof'as" taken on line 2|-j-2I of Figure 20.v

Figure 22 is an enlarged plan View of coin controlled means eiecting the operation of the vend-` ing unitshown in Figures 23 'and'24.

Figure 23 is a plan View of an auxiliary vending unit used' in the machine;

Figure 24is a vertical'section'al View thereof as taken on vline 24"-24 'of Figure 23.

Figure 25 is a' fragmentary longitudinal sec-' tionalviewA as taken on the' line 25'-25 of Figurev "Ihevending machineiwhich is shown inA the drawings comprises, generally, a support frame" 3l! provided with enclosure means 3|; a food stor-Y ing compartment'i! in the" upper part of the frame; meaiis33 insulating said compartment'to preserve thefc'ondition o'f"food' therein; a'selec` tor'drum 3lf'iri` which a plurality Voftrays 35'a`ie mounted forselective"'vending` and which contain ayariety oflfoods; ineans'forelecting selective vending of said" trayscoinprisingmeans 3l1"`for rotating the`drurn`34; means 31 controlling theV rota-tion of saiddrim means 38 housing |03 comprising la plurality `of"rela`y`s eiecting selective operation of the controlling means 3l; a

selector -39 comprising a plurality of push but-v tons for operating said relays selectively; coin testing and circuit closing means 40 for closing the relay circuits; electrical means 4| operative upon closing of a selected circuit to effect dispensing of a food lled tray 35; means 42 for receiving said food for extraction by the customer; means 43 for receiving and storing foodemptied trays; and various other components including bag holding means 44; waste compartments 45; auxiliary food dispensing and vending units 4B, etc. Although not illustrated, the machine may be provided with attention attracting sign means at the top thereof and include means for illuminating said sign means and various portions of the machine.

The support frame 30 comprises a base 41 and a plurality of upright structural members or posts 4B rigidly connected, as by welding, to a frame 49 mounted on said base. The posts are arranged to provide the machine with eight sides, said posts being located at the vertical corners between adjacent sides. The four rear posts extend to a top cap G for the machine, whereas the four front posts terminate at a frame 5I in termediate the height of the machine. A third frame 52 is placed between frames 49 and 5l to further steady and strengthen the support frame. The various structural elements of the support frame are preferably welded together at their joints to provide a strong light octagonal skeleton frame in which the upper front part is open.

The cap 58 is an octagonal sheet metal member, preferably tapered at its top and is set in alignment with the vertical frame posts 48. The top wall 53 of the cap is provided with channel shaped members 54 on its under surface to stiften said top wall and serve to effect connection of the cap, by posts 55, to a frame comprising a ltransverse structural member 56 and members 51 connecting the latter to a top frame 58A of the support frame 30. An elongated slot 59 is formed in the top wall 53 and therebeneath is provided a housing 60 for suitable lamps for illuminating a sign mounted on the machine by means of said slot.

The machine enclosing means 3l comprises sheet metal panels arranged about the posts 48. In practice, the panels are formed in front and rear closure sheets El and 62, respectively, connected along` the sides of the machine as shown z The opening in the machine thus provided by the support frame 30V and the panel sheets 6l and E2, is enclosed by a semi-tubular transparent window 64. The latter comprises parallel outer and inner members 65 and 65, respectively, spaced at top and bottom by suitably curved spacers 61. Said window completes the frame enclosure and gives visual access to the food compartment 32.

The means `33 for insulating the food compartment 32 includes the mentioned window B4 which is made of insulating material and which is made more effective by the air space between its members 65 and 66. Said means 33 further includes an insulating top panel, E8 in the cap 50, an insulating bottom panel B9 supported by the frame 5l, and such other panels of insulation as may be applied on the inner surfaces of the upper portions of the panels of sheet S2. In this manner the food compartment 32 is entirely enclosed by insulation to prevent a rapid heat exchange 4 of the interior thereof with surrounding atmosphere.

The dispensing or selector drum 34 comprises a support plate 10 formed with a plurality of radially directed arms 1| to form a base support for said drum. The arms 1 I, between them pro vide generally trapezoid shaped openings 12 therebetween adjacent to the lateral walls of the food compartment. The support plate 13 may be variously formed. .asr shown, it comprises a central hub plate 13 mounting a ring plate if! which, in turn, carries the arms 1l. A tubular backing drum 15 is mounted on the peripheral edge of the ring plate 14 to extend upwardly from thesupport plate 19 to clear the bottom of the top insulating panel 523. Suitable angular braces 1li between the inner wall of said backing drum andthe tcp surface of the hub plate, may be provided to lend rigidity to the construction.

Aligned with each arm 1|, the dispensing drum is provided with a transparent radial partition 11 secured to the backing drum 15 by means of angle members 18. The dispensing drum is generally coextensive with the height of the window 64 whereby the trapezoidal shaped spaces between the partitions 11 are visible through the window 64.

The food trays 35 are designed to be stacked one above the other in the dispensing drum between the partitions 11. Means are provided for supporting said stacks loi trays for selective release and dispensing of the lowermost tray of each stack. For this purpose the peripheral edge of the ring' plate 14 is provided with a ledge 19 outward of the backing drum 15 to engage and support rearward lugs on the trays 35; and laterally extending projections 3| are provided on each arm 1| to engage and support laterally extending lugs 82 on the trays. The lowermost tray of each stack is thus supported and, in turn, supports a stack of trays between the partitions The outer edge ofV each partition 11 is provided with lateral projections 83 which serve to retain the trays in position to prevent inadvertent outward displacement thereof. The partitions are securely held in radial position by upper and lower wires 84 strung peripherally about the drum as indicated. Y The projections 83 extend downward to a point somewhat above the top of the lowermost tray of each stack whereby saidI lowermost tray can be slid laterally outward so that its respective lugs 82 and 80 successively lose contact with the projections 8| and the ledge 19 as shown in Figure 8 whereby said tray will tip and then fall to discharge its contents into the food receiving means 42. The empty tray then falls upon the means 43.

Each tray 35 comprises a trapezoidal bottom wall 85, side walls 85 provided with a rearward slope 81 and a relatively low rear wall 88 in addition to the mentioned lugs 80 and 82.

The means 3E for rotating the selector drum 34 comprises a vertical drive and support shaft 89 for the drum, a support 9G for the shaft, an electric motor 9| and reduction gearing 92 connecting the motor to drive thev shaft 89. The shaft extends through the insulating panel 69 and is supported by a thrust bearing 93 in the support which comprisesa spider formed with generally radial arms 94 for lightness. said spider are connected to the posts 48 to afford a rigid mounting for the selector drum 34.

The means 31 for controlling the rotation of the drum 34 and for arresting said rotation to The arms of v bring a selected tray stack ink alignment with the food receiving means 42, is mounted on the shaft 69 between the reduction gearing 92 and a bearing 95 on a cross bar 96 carried by the frame 52. Said means 3l comprises a plurality of discs 6l keyed to a sleeve 98 on said shaft, each disc being provided with a peripheral notch 90 for control of respective switch jacks for electrical connection with the circuit controlling either the motor 3i or the means 4| effecting dispensing of the lowermost tray 35 of a selected stack. Accordingly, the notches 99 are differently oriented with relation to their respective switch jacks so that a different tray stack is aligned with the means 42 for each related association of the notches and switch jacks. y

Each switch jack |00 comprises a spring finger itl adapted for normal contact with a terminal i022 and for contact with a terminal |03 when the linger I0| enters the notch 99. The discs 91 are enclosed in a housing |04 which mounts the switch jacks |00 and which is supported by a hanger |95 from the supporting angle 96.

The means 4| comprises a unit mounted on the support .05 and designed, upon the closing of a selected operating circuit, to cause displacement of a tray from a stack thereof in vending position. Said means comprises a solenoid |'|3, the core II 4 of whichroperates a bellcrank lever ||5 to push a pin H0 which is normally downwardly tensioned by a spring lll, so that a conical bead Hi8 on said pin H6 laterally presses a tray displacing pin I I9 mounted on the backing drum l5 and aligned for engagement with the rear wall 09 of the lowermost tray 35 of each stack. Accordingly, upon energization of the solenoid I3, only that tray of a stack aligned with the lever will be displaced by movement of said lever.

The means 42 comprises a drawer |20 provided with a pull handle |2| whereby the drawer, upon receiving a package of food from a tray 35 dislodged from the selector drum, can first be pulled outwardly which effects release of its front pivoted wall |22 for access to the interior and ready extraction of said food package. The drawer is normally held against movement by a latch dog |23 on either side thereof engaged with abutments |24 formed in a support plate |25 for the drawer. Said latch dogs |23 are connected by a transversely extending bail |26 which is so positioned as to be depressed by the Weight of a food package to cause the latch dogs to be tilted on their pivots |21 and to be raised from engagement with their abutments. The drawer is thus freed to be slid forward by a pull on the handle lili. Latches |28 are Vprovided for the pivoted front door |22. When said latches |28 encounter the mentioned abutments |24, they will pivot at i223 to release integral dogs |30 from holding engagement with rib |3| of the door whereby said door can be opened on its pivot. When the drawer is slid back into place, it will be eiectively latched ready to receive the next package of food slid into it by a displaced tray 35.

The means 43 comprises a transverse partition in the machine disposed beneath the support 9e.

.Said means is formed with a sloping wall |3|a to guide falling trays toward the rear of the machine to be collected for future use. The sloping wall |362', at its upper forward end is formed with an opening |32 suiciently large to receive a food package but too small for a tray to pass therethrough. The insulating wall 69, however, is provided with a tray passing opening |33 of sufficient size to pass a tray.

In order to facilitate servicingV of the machine, the selector 33V, the coin detection means 40 and the food receiving means 42 are incorporated in a single unit |34 adapted for removable mounting in the machine. Said unit, best seen in Figures 3, 8 and 9i, comprisesk a' frame of generally triangular shape formed with side brackets |35 connected by a front wall |36, by a transverse wall |31 mounting the push buttons I0 of selector 30, and the mentioned support-plate |25. The coin slots ||2 in the front wall |36, are arranged with coin guides |38 for suitable guiding of coins to the means 40 which'is mounted on a vertical wall |36` supported in the unit |34.V A suitable lock |40 is provided for removable connection of said unit and the machine frame 30.

l'n operation, the proper coins are inserted in coin slots ||2 and that particular push button III] is manually depressed which will bring a desired stack of food trays 35 in dispensing position. The coin tester 40V and said depressed push button ||0 will close the circuit through an associated relay. The coin permitting energization will be dislodged from its energizing position immediately after completion of such functions as is normal in such coin-controlled circuits. It will be further understood that whereas insertion of a five-cent piece will permit but one push-button energization, a larger coin will allow multiple operation. This circuit is in series with thesecondary of a transformer which is of the step down type. Said circuit is therefore of low voltage. Energization of said relay will cause closing of a switch so that line current can pass through a relay operating the motor 9|. through the terminal |02 and finger I0| connected with the closed switch, and power line. The selector drum will thus be caused to rotate until said finger I0! falls into its associated notch 99 to open the motor circuit and cause contact between the nnger I0! and its associated terminal |03. Circuit is thus made through the trip solenoid ||3 to ef feet dislodgement from the stack aligned in dispensing position of its lowermost tray and to cause said tray to fall through opening |33 so that its package of vfood will pass through opening |32 and into drawer'l20.

Since all of the-other push buttons ||0 are unactuated, all of the other circuits are open and the drum 34 will stop only in a position controlled by the relative orientation of the notches 99. If desired, suitable means preventing depressing of more than one push button, may be incorporated in the mechanism'.

Slugs or false coins will not act to close the cicuit in the coin tester 40 but will be returned to the customer in a return cup |43.

Although not inter-connected with the abovedescribed foodvending mechanism, the machine is brought to fuller completion by the incorporation of the mentioned bag holding means 44, the

Vwaste compartments 45 and the auxiliary food dispensing and vending means 46.

As shown in Figures l and 13, the bagholding means 44 comprises a housing |50 mounted on the inside of the front panel '|5I of the machine, the upper part of said panel 5| mounting the unit |34 (Fig. 3). The housing |50 is provided with an expansion spring |52 for the purpose of upwardly urging a plate or follower |53 guided by the walls of the housing. By stacking a plurality of bags |54 on the plate |53 said spring will compress said stack against the top wall |55 of the housing and hold said stack for the manual extraction of a bag therefrom through a front yopening |56 in the wall pan-el |5|. One or more of such bag holding means may be provided for the same or diierent sizes of bags.

The waste compartment or receptacle 45 may be mounted on either or both of theV wall panels |51 adjacent the wallpanel |5|. As shown in Figures 1 and 12, each receptacle comprises a container |58 having a front wall |59 designed to nll a suitable opening in its respective panel |51 and to be removably locked in place by a lock |60 engaged with the machine frame 52. An inwardly swingable front access door |9| is provided whereby waste may be deposited in the container |58 from the outer front of the machine. The container can `be emptied either by removing it from the machine or by lowering a bottomhinged rear door |82 upon release of a latch |63. For this purpose and for other access purposes to the interior of the machine, the rear closure wall 82 is provided with respectively upper and lower removable access panels |64 and |65. By removing the upper panel |64, the machine can be refilled with food containing trays 35. The lower panel affords access to the empty trays held by means 43.

The auxiliary vending unit 48 is best seen in Figures 1 and 22 to 25, inclusive. Said means is designed to vend loose items of food such as nuts and one such unit is mounted in a suitable opening in each closure panel |51.

The unit 48 comprises, generally, a housing |86 having a front wall |61, a rear wall |68, a bot- -tom wall |89, side wall |10, vertical transverse housing coin units |15, and an opera-ting compartment |16 beneath the Wall |12 and between partitions |1 1n each compartment |14 and beneath the coin testing unit |15, there is positioned a coin returning tray |11 and a coin receptacle |18.

Means are provided for vending articles in the chamber |13 by allowing the contents thereof to pour through openings |18al into a tiltable receptacle |18 provided in the front wall |61 of the unit. One such vending means is provided oneach side'of the chamber |13 to be controlled in its operation by coins deposited in the adjacent coin testing unit |15. Y

Each of the vending means includes a manually projectable plunger |80, a gate plate |8| controlling its respective opening |189, mounted to be rocked on a pivot |82 and connected by a link |83 to its respective plunger. Means |84 controlled by coins passing through the means normally maintains said plunger locked. Said means comprises a pair of levers |85 and |86 mounted on co-axial' shafts |81 and |88 and connected with respective release levers |89 and |90. The levers |89 and |90 are respectively associated with pivoted members |9| and |92 mounted on opposite sides of a frame |93 into which the rear end of the plunger |80 projects. Pins |94 and |95 carried by the respective members |9| and |92 are engaged with notches in plunger |80. A spring |96 serves to draw the plunger rearward to hold the gate plate |8| in closure position with respect to the opening |189. It will be obvious that only upon a coin coming into contact with both levers |85 and |86 to depress them and to cause depressing of the levers |89 and |90, will springs |91 of the members |9| and |92 become effective to tilt said members and remove pins |94 and |95 from engagement in the slots of plunger |80. The plunger is then free to be manually pulled to allow dispensing of articles from chamber |13 into receptacle |19 from which said dispensed articles can be readily removed. The movement of the plunger is limited by a sto-p plate |98 thereon abutting a wall of the frame |93. Manual release of the plunger permits spring |98 to restore the parts to locked retracted position for subsequent operation.

The above-described embodiment of the invention maybe varied in many ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, we desire to include such modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claim.

We claim:

In a vending machine in combination, a rotatable support, a plurality of stacks of food holding trays carried by said support, means for dislodging the lowermost tray of a selected stack, a food-receiving drawer, means for causing said tray to tip to slide its contents into said drawer, means for discharging the tray from said support, means locking said drawer in contents-re ceiving position, and means operated by discharge ofsaid contents into the drawer for releasing the drawer for manual movement thereof.

OLGA V. WELLS.

ROBERT O. BORST. CHESTER C. STAPP.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 673,760 I Conner May 7, 1901 737,685 Rupley Sept. 1, 1903 892,687 Schrum July '1, 1908 993,021 Brown May 23, 1911 1,114,465 Glashagel Oct. 20, 1914 1,240,595 Perfect Sept. 18, 1917 1,586,936 Wisroth June 1, 1926 1,627,424 Binder May 3, 1927 1,644,371 Goldman Oct. 4, 1927 1,683,360 Lea Sept. 4, 1928 2,115,393 Mahaffey Apr. 26, 1938 2,272,750 Miller Feb. 10, 1942 2,290,275 Childers July 21, 1942 2,360,241 Kuhl Oct. 10, 1944 2,363,340 Lau et al Nov. 21, 1944 2,378,888 Richmond et al. June 19, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 192,714 Great Britain Sept. 13, 1923 

